Good Enough
by Sileya
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Disclaimers: All hail mighty Paramount. They own it all, I just aspire to.

The inspiration for this vignette was the song "Good Enough" by Sarah McLachlan. She own the lyrics, I just stuck most of them in some sort of order in here.

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Harry sighs from his vantage point across Sandrine's. He'd been watching Tom drink himself into oblivion for the last several hours, following as extraordinary blow-up with B'Elanna, after which she left in the company of Ensign Wildman. Arm in arm. And so Tom crawled into the whiskey bottle.

At 0200 hours, Harry decides it had been long enough. He stands from the shadows and moves past the holographic patrons to approach Tom's table in the corner. Once he arrives, he sits down, Tom looking up at him blearily.

"Hey, Tom, your glass is empty. Why don't you call it a night?" he suggests kindly.

Tom just looks pitiful. "It's a hell of a long way home, Harry." he murmurs, reaching for the bottle.

Harry pulls the bottle from his reach. "Why don't you let me take you, Tom. In this shape, it's no good for you to go alone." he stands and takes Tom by the arm, who staggers as soon as he stands.

"Oh, Harry..B'Elanna and I had the worst fight. She said that I was just awful in bed. How could she say that? In front of all those people? About me?" Tom walks along the corridor with Harry's help. Harry doesn't comment, focusing on getting Tom to his quarters before he collapses. Once they arrive, he lets Tom flop onto his bed.

Tom rolls over and looks up at Harry. "I hope you weren't embarrassed, Har. I never would have opened up like that. . . but you're such a good friend to me." he wipes at his eyes. "And after all the bullshit I've heard. . . it's kind of refreshing to see someone not condemning me." Tom looks back up at him. "You're not just being nice to me, are you, Har?" Tom looks like a small child, begging for a friend.

Harry sits down on the edge of the bed. "I don't have to pretend, Tom. I'm nice to you. . . for many reasons." Harry shrugs, figuring Tom is too drunk to remember much of this. "B'Elanna doesn't expect it of me. . . for me to care for you more than she." Harry smiles and wags his finger in jest. "So don't tell me I haven't been good enough to you. . . helping you get home and all. You can't say I haven't been there for you, can you, Tom?" But then Harry's face sobers. "But I expect nothing in return. That's what friends are for. What I want to know. . . is why you let B'Elanna treat you so bad. Surely nothing isn't good enough for you. Because that's what it seems like you're getting out of that relationship."

Tom struggles out of bed and staggers to the replicator, ordering another drink. "Would you like one, Harry? B'Elanna would disapprove, of course, but it's not like she's my mother." Tom states wryly. Harry nods, and while Tom is standing at the replicator, Harry just announces out of the blue, "I love you, Tom."

Tom is frozen in place, his eyes widening as he turns to look at his best friend.

"Tom, I'm sick of the way she treats you. Can't you see that?" Harry sighs and waits for Tom to say something. "The door is open, Tom. . . I'm waiting for you to come out. I'm sure it's O.K."

Tom steps forward toward Harry, hesitantly. "No. . . I. . . can't . ." he murmurs, although his eyes speak differently.

Harry stands, stating his case evenly. "Tom, I'm not B'Elanna. I'm not going to knock you to the ground and walk all over you. I care too much for that. Is that what's scaring you so much?" Harry reaches out a hand.

Tom shakily takes Harry's hand and is pulled into a warm embrace. "Harry. . . I don't understand." he tries to clear the alcohol- induced fog from his head.

"Tom, you deserve so much more than this on-again, off-again torture with B'Elanna."

"But Harry. . . she. . ."

"No, Tom. Don't tell me why she's never been good to you. Don't tell me why she's never been there for you. Her reasons are simply not good enough. You deserve so much better," Harry explains, his eyes boring into Tom's. "I want to give you so much better."

Tom stands in a kind of shock, his eyes searching Harry's. "You. . . love me?"

Harry nods, smiling. "Just let me try, Tom. I'll be good to you. . . I'll be there for you whenever you need me." Harry leans forward and catches Tom's lips in a kiss full of wanting and passion. "I'll show you why you're worth so much more than 'good enough'," Harry vows, pulling Tom towards the bed.

And Tom follows. . . smiling.

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End